Massachusetts Roads - I-90 - Exits 14/15 to 18/19/20

I-90 between Exits 14/15 and 18/19/20



WB at the Exit 15 tollbooths. From here on west, the Pike is a ticketed system. Notice the use of the right arrow for a freeway exit; since traffic just stopped at a tollbooth, it's moving slowly, but this should still be a slanted arrow.


A brief diversion down Exit 15. MA 128 is always well-signed, even though it's redundant for most of its length (the only unique portion is after the northern split with I-95, where I believe the mileposts reset to 0).


If you head down the MA 30 half of the exit, you come to these one-piece signs at Park Road.


NB and SB on Park Rd., respectively, more button copy and a tacked-on directional, because not everyone knows which way to Boston from, well, just about anywhere else in the country.


Exit 16 (WB only) = MA 16. The gore sign is well before the gore itself, an error repeated at Exit 17 (but it's correct heading EB). The last sign is on the ramp, which once had a tollbooth on it.


And here is the ramp, with the concrete pad from the toll and even the tollhouse and parking lot still intact. The onramp has a pad as well, but that's on the MA 16 page (link below).


WB heading toward Exit 17; the last sign is on the ramp.


Eastbound.


Newton tries its hand at signing I-90 up at Exit 17. Stand back, little town, MassHighway will blow you away:


EB past the Exit 17 rotary. Traffic following Charlesbank Road comes around onto Nonantum Road in Watertown and Soldiers Field Road in Boston.


In the rotary, facing north just after crossing I-90. Turning left puts you directly onto I-90 WB via a ramp between the rotary and the Mass. Pike. Note the opposing down arrows, very possibly unique among remaining signage almost anywhere.


This is for traffic that didn't turn left onto I-90 - it can either continue onto Center St., or bear left and stay on the rotary to come back around toward EB I-90 or head west on Washington St.


This one, and its little white counterpart, face SB traffic on Center St. entering the rotary. Traffic going straight merges with traffic coming the other way and following the second old BGS above. Click on the first photo for a buttony closeup.


A lot of things are up above I-90. Old signage, the Prudential Center, a hotel, a supermarket...


This sign came with the highway into Boston, above the US 20 underpass.


Back down on I-90, notice that Allston only makes one appearance on EB signage; below you'll see the same phenomenon heading WB toward Exit 20. Exits 18 and 20 go to the same set of ramps, but Exit 18 is a tollbooth to the west of the Exit 19 mainline booth, and Exit 20 is a tollbooth to the east of it. Three separate facilities, three separate numbers, which makes sense only to the Turnpike Authority.


A look eastbound at the scene: Exit 18 onramp booth to the left, offramp booth straight, and Exit 19 booth to the bottom right. Lots o' lanes.


The Amazing Appearing/Disappearing Allston, WB style!


The Exit 18/20 ramps, seen from the EB offramp (Exit 18) and WB offramp (Exit 20).


Western Ave. NB, and the onramp split from such at Exit 18/20.


I'm guessing that speed limits through the tollbooths are much lower than 40 MPH... like 0? Or maybe this is telling you that the speed limit's 40 once you leave the tollbooth - except it isn't. It's supposed to show up only during inclement weather or adverse roadway conditions.


The vista from the BU Bridge (MA 2) overpass just east of Exit 20, facing west.


Certified American. And Buy War Bonds, Dag Nabbit.

West to I-90 west of Exits 14/15
East to I-90 east of Exits 18/19/20
Back to I-90 main page

Exit 15 to I-95
Exit 15 to MA 30
Exit 15 or 16 to MA 16
Exit 17 to Newton
Exit 18/20 to Cambridge
Into Middlesex County
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